Blue Effect - 1969–1989 (2009) [9CD Box Set] Re-up

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Rather unexpected Modry Efekt has become one of my favorite prog bands of all time. I did not really see it coming but there you go. From a known entity to a well loved band in a matter of Days, I have now listened to them without interruption for about two months, constantly overwhelming me with joy.

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Blue Effect - 1969–1989 (2009) [9CD Box Set] Re-up

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Modry Efekt managed in their relatively brief existence, as far as recordings go anyway, to be musically progressive in a way not many other bands can claim to be in a lifetime. From their first blues album in 1969, to their second free form jazz recording, straight into the realms of orchestrated jazz rock and finally (which is my favorite period of the band, the fullblown symphonic prog of the latter half of the 70's. Just imagine, going from pretty standard (but by no means inferior) blues rock to almost inpenetrable free form jazz rock on their second. There's a career move that could send any band to an early grave.

Where to start, then, if you are interested in Modry Efekt? Well, why not start with this box? It is actually both the best way and certainly a very affordable way to get into the band. Get the box and listen to "Modry Efekt & Radim Hladik" first. In my opinion this record is their greatest and holds the past and their future in the most gloriuos way.

You could argue that there are no liner notes in English and you might think it is a shame that the box is void of live recordings and frankly, yes. I do see the point and how great wouldn't it be if the liner notes were bilingual? But then again, information can be found on the internet and live recordings could well be found elsewhere. This box is more of "The complete Modry Efekt" than anything else. There are no bonus tracks, except for the ninth CD which holds singles and other stuff. That makes these complaints obsolete, in my opinion. What you have is the collected works of Modry Efekt, one of the most brilliant and progressive bands of all time. They are simply outstanding, able to match anything the great bands of the 70's could produce and keeping it personal and unique, at the same time looking for inspiration as well finding a path of their own.

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Blue Effect - 1969–1989 (2009) [9CD Box Set] Re-up

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While not every album enclosed here are five star records, the sum of it all renders it an essential part of any prog fan's collection. It highlights one of prog's most enjoyable and interesting bands. If you are interested in Modry Efekt, don't wait. Just get the box, why don't you? If you are interested in prog from the old Eastern block, get the box. If you like jazz rock and prog, just get the damn box! You won't regret it. I know I won't.

by GruvanDahlman, progarchives

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Blue Effect - 1969–1989 (2009) [9CD Box Set] Re-up

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Blue Effect

Best known for their Yes-like prog work in the '70s, the Czech Republic's Blue Effect were formed in the late '60s, when that nation was still tied politically and geographically to its Slovak neighbor during the Cold War. Led by the renowned guitarist Radim Hladik, Blue Effect first came to prominence as an R&B-influenced rock act with their first two albums, 1969's Meditace and 1970's Coniunctio. It was at this point that the Soviet-backed government stepped in and forced the band to alter its name to reflect a more "Czecho-Slovak" heritage. Now dubbed Modry Efekt (and, at times, M Efekt), the band began to venture into the more progressive rock elements that would define – for many – the true identity of the group. By 1975, the sounds of British prog had taken full root in the sound of the band, in addition to solidifying Hladik as one of his country's top rock guitar virtuosos. The prog – and the continued growth of Hladik's skill – progressed on two follow-up full-lengths, 1977's Svitanie and 1979's Svet Hledacu, but the band had seemingly fully exhausted itself with regard to the sound that had won it so many converts. Proof of this new direction was to be found in the much more middle-of-the-road effort of 1981, 33, which was also notable as being the last release from the band. While the band quietly folded, Hladik continued to hone his skill and ply his trade. In 2004, with the release of a Blue Effect best-of compilation entitled Beatová Sín Slávy, the band – now fully under Hladik's leadership – began to hit stages in the Czech Republic. A live effort, Blue Effect: Live, was also released around the same time, and was a Top Five chart hit.

by Chris True, AMG

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Blue Effect - 1969–1989 (2009) [9CD Box Set] Re-up

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Certainly not just Blues, even I have to agree that there are influences of this genre. After all, this band started like Blues band, doing also some covers of USA Blues bands.

However, Meditace (Meditation) is very mature release. Even still not so Jazz as their later albums, this album shines both in music form and lyrics (mostly philosophical thinking about various aspects of life and death). There is strong Symphonic inspiration, but in Czech style, which means that you can have symphonic melody with trumpets playing + harmonica here and there. It's possibility, because it was simply the way how things were made here. Blue Effect were trying to keep their heads above rising water of "normalization" (bans on bands, oppression on free-thinking and anti-socialistic ideas, such as English names / lyrics).

Meditace hits me emotionally, it's first hand confession about times, when it still was quite good (considering what will came in 70s, so they had to move to Jazz later). Stroj na nic (Machine for nothing) is - you guess - about machine that does nothing, but everyone admires it. I sense ironic double meaning. It's more Rock song, but it has its better Prog moments too, especially it shows how great Czech guitar virtuoso Radim Hladík can play. Even there are other songs/albums where he can do better.

However, some songs are simply unable to abandon blues basis completely and this, from Prog point of view, prevents it from reaching higher ratings. On the other hand, there is plethora of ideas, really original ideas made from both desperation and from need to create. Lineup on this album is full of people who will become either masters of their genres (lyricists, guitarists) or simply very respected musicians.

by Marty McFly, progarchives

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Fantastic early jazz-rock album, combining two greatest Czech bands - Blue Effect and Jazz Q Praha. Second and last studio release still released by Blue Effect under such English name ( later under Socialist Czech government pressure they changed name for Modry Effekt, or just M Effekt).

Just four compositions, but what a bright, fresh and energetic free-jazz chaos they play there! Blue Effect, being a power trio with blues-rock roots, brings heavy electric guitar (by excellent guitarist Radim Hladik) and very energetic rock-jamming atmosphere. Jazz Q Praha is jazz quartet at his very early step mixing free jazz improvisation with jazz-rock knocking on the door ( the year is 1970). Their participation gave excellent flute, organ, acoustic piano and very free atmosphere as great addition to Blue Effect's power trio better structurized sound. (By the way, Jazz Q Praha flautist Jiří Stivín will participate on later Blue Effect albums).

Unique combination of two great components - free-jazz quartet and blues-rock based jamming power trio, both on their very early steps to fresh-born jazz fusion - gave very informal musicianship and have some pros against both band's later, more matured albums.

Absolute must have recordings for everyone interested in Eastern European jazz fusion roots.

by snobb, progarchives

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Radim Hladik's band Modry Efekt was certainly one of the most important progressive bands in former Czechoslovakia as mentioned already in their biography. This record contains what could be called an equivalent to Deep Purple's work together with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra two years before with the difference that here we're dealing with a Jazz Orchestra. And though usually I'm not that much a fan of big band sound I've to say this experiment had worked out quite successfully. Probably because unlike with Purple's it was really a "new synthesis" between rock and big band jazz music. Especially on the long title track one gets the impression of listening to a type of "Glenn Miller in Rock". I've received both of these two rare albums together with some bonus songs (not with English titles, so I guess different ones than listed here) luckily in a MP3-pack. I found them a quite enjoyable listen though I've to say not as interesting as the extra material from their other albums.

Nova Synteza is without any doubts a very good album but I'd hesitate to call it an essential one. Anyway recommended to lovers of brass music and fans of this band.

by hdfisch, progarchives

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Not really a follow-up to the first Nova Synteza (New Synthesis) until the last 5 minutes of the opening epic. On the major part of he side-long track the orchestra is just supporting the band with brasses and the song is mainly rock-blues. The brasses give it a retro flavor so that it seems coming more from the 60s than the 70s. In the last five minutes it drastically changes and turns into an excellent orchestral jazz before coming back to the original rock theme for the last conclusive minute. So 3/4 of the track are Symphonic Prog and only the last quarter is JR/F.

Also the second track hasn't much jazz while the blues of the debut is completely gone. This is a progressive song on which I hear connections with some RPI of the same period or earlier. The 7+ chords around 4 minutes remind me to Camel (Song Within A Song). Then the rhythm increases, odd signatures appear util the vocalists are back to finish the song.

A 3 minutes interlude, but not a filler comes next. An impressive vocal performance. It makes me think to the Banco, again RPI of the 70s.

The closer is another quite long track of about 10 minutes. Not easy to describe, it has a retro flavor like the rest of the album and this time even without taking the brasses into account. again 7+ chords passages remind to Moonmadness, just the sound of the guitar is different. There's more improvisation in the guitar solo respect to Latimer's stuff. Later the main theme of the second track is "resurrected" like they are informing us that this is a concept album and the separations between the tracks are not relevant. The second guitar solo on the uptime section is between Latimer and Santana.

It's an album that marks the beginning of a transition for this band and has effectively a value independently from the context. It probably doesn't reach the excellence, but it can stay in any prog-rock collection.

by octopus-4, progarchives

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Modrý Efekt is one of those bands mailing from behind the Curtain of Iron in the 60s and 70s that happen to be highly praised among progressive and jazz-rock circles. And quite deservedly so. If Fermata was the Slovakian king of progressive rock, Módry Efekt assumed a parallel superior role in the Czech side of the former Czechoslovakia. "Modrý Efekt & Radim Hladik" is the name of ME's fifth studio effort, and that's a weird name for an album recorded by a band whose lead guitarist, founder and main writer is precisely Mr. Hladik. Anyway, mysteries aside, let's go for the review of the album itself. 'Boty' is the opening cut that initially states a brief synth-based whirlwind before the main motif settles in with its full power. The emergence of this sort of strength in no way diminishes the installment of a clearly defined melodic dynamics through the guitar leads and the effective keyboard layers. The mood and motif shifts are managed craftily, in full progressive fashion; the flute solo during the spacey interlude is just lovely, establishing a proper contrast against the frantic guitar-dominated passages. Sometimes things get as wild as in your regular LZ or DP album, no kidding! Hladik is a masterful elaborator of the influences he receives from Akkerman, Page and Hendrix at once. There is also a cosmic organ solo wildly oriented toward the higher pitches. After this red hot opening number comes a very different one, the melancholic 'Čajovna', whose framework may remind us of Focus-meets- Finch. 'Skládanka' finds the band turning back to the frenzy side of things, with its powerful mixture of jazz-rock and heavy prog. Once again, the guest flautist shines with his sensibility, although Hladik is the one who naturally gets his instrument more featured, at the end of the day. 'Ztráty a nálezy' starts with a focus on the acoustic guitar, which is soon accompanied by multiple electric guitar ornaments on a very psychedelic note. The main body arrives with the installment of a slow-paced atmosphere, not without its proper dose of energy. The album's official repertoire is closed down by 'Hypertenze': its Mahavishnu-friendly funky birations mingle quite fluidly with the explicitely hard rocking passages. Arguably, here is the most proficient bass work, and perhaps there are also the most accomplished spacey sounds from the synth. The final section is a glorious progressive litany with a notorious charge of neurosis: the explosive sax solo is essential for this sort of mood.

by Cesar Inca, progarchives

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Now known as M Efekt, this group is almost entirely rebuilt from scratch from its previous incarnation of 73 (even if the album was released in 75) around Hladic and Cech, welcoming ex Collegium Musicum Fedor Freso on bass and Synkopy61 Oldrich Vesely keyboardist. The quartet now formed some sort of CzechMoravianSlovakian supergroup, modifying their sound to a very Yes-like soundscape. Generally known as their better works among progheads, this writer can't help but preferring their more fusion-esque album like their 73 album. While I have yet to see this album in Cd format with its original red & orange artwork instead of this bland b&w photo, this album IS indeed one of ME's best, because while being sort of derivative, ME manages to sound like their own group with its own sound.

With a very pleasant start with the 10-min Vysoka track, the group manages to foray through a large panel of moods and ambiances without sounding like "going through the motions", and it shows in the group's enthralling music. The shorter (relatively) Pada Rodenska is an absolutely fantastic Moravian folk song interrupted by some bold and daring Daffy/Donald Duck-like synth noises, but the track is probably the most memorable. Closing the album's first side is the Popoludni track is a bit jazzier than the rest of the album but closing weird synths

The sidelong title-track "epic" is a slow starter, with some multi-voiced lines, sending us towards Yes and early Soft Machine, finally lifting off around the 9-min mark, when the group takes Yes and Genesis-like unison march and adapt it to Slavic charms. The track gets lost a bit in a lengthy slower passage before returning to the early opening passages of the track. Considering the 19-min+ of the track, it seems this track could've been held to some 12 mins without losing a note, the useless expansion stopping this track from being of epic proportions. I find that ME's vocal delivery on this album is very much Italian-like, but timbre-wise, it sounds like a cross of Jon Anderson and Ian Gillan, if you can picture that.

by Sean Trane, progarchives

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Modry Efekt was one of the leading progressive rock bands not only from Czechoslovakia in the '70 but aswell from enntire eastern Europe. In 1979 they released what was and still is one of the best progressive rock albums of all times - Svet Hledacu ? World of Searchers. This album is really a masterpice, is a turbulent album where each musician shines, specially the head of the band and one of the most inventive guitarist I've ever came across Radim Hladík, absolutly stunning guitar player. So, to my ears this is heavy prog with some spacey moments added in the mix like on opening track, amazing combination that goes very well in the end, the guitar, keyboards and the voice is brilliant. Less jazzy then previous works, this album has it all, from odd tempo changes, very solid guitar chops, long complicated passages where everything is well done, compose and performed. Every piece is a winner for sure, not a second of weakness here, the beautiful Hledám své vlastní já, the crimsonesque atmosphere on Zázrak jedné noci and Rajky with powerfull and energic playing make from this album a tresure. I was hit like a train when I heared this album few years ago, and now after some spining is no diffrent, one of the best album in my collction and one of my fav aswell. The musicianship is top notch, the arrangements and al aswell excellent.

by b_olariu, progarchives

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Well BLUE EFFECT certainly didn't go out with a wimper with this their final album released in 1981. The vocals aren't easy on the ears, well with the Czech language and shouting styled vocals i'd say they aren't for the faint of heart but i'm used to them. Instrumentally this is quite treat for the ears with Radim back on guitar and as usual he is outstanding. A fair amount of synths and fantastic drumming rounds out the most prominant sounds.

We get four long tracks beginning with "Triatricet". It starts with an intense and somewhat strange intro before the vocals arrive a minute in but they are brief. Drums and a full sound take over after 1 1/2 minutes. Powerful stuff. Vocals are back around 4 1/2 minutes. It settles back into an instrumental mode before 6 1/2 minutes as tasteful guitar and crisp drums lead. Vocals are back 9 1/2 minutes in then back to the intrumental music a minute later as contrasts continue. "Avignonske Slecny Z Prahy" features relaxed guitar as the synths join in then reserved vocals. It's fuller after a minute. I like this. The guitar sounds amazing after 2 minutes when the vocals stop. They are back though a minute later but not for long as the guitar starts to light it up. It settles back again 4 1/2 minutes in like the intro as themes are repeated.

"Obcasna Panska Jizda" has a powerful intro that is replaced with atmosphere and guitar. A beat joins in. It picks up after 3 minutes then settles with vocals 4 1/2 minutes in. The guitar solo before 7 1/2 minutes is incredible. Vocals are back after 8 1/2 minutes but the guitar continues to impress until 9 1/2 minutes in. "Kohoutek Kamaradstvi Odkapava" opens with the guitar ripping it up right away until we get a calm before a minute along with reserved vocals. It kicks in again after 1 1/2 minutes as the vocals turn more passionate. Vocals stop before 2 1/2 minutes as the guitar solos and drums pound. Nice. It settles 4 1/2 minutes in then kicks back in at 5 minutes and they are killing it. A calm with vocals before 6 1/2 minutes but then it starts to build.

A solid 4 stars and a great way to end the band's legacy.

by Mellotron Storm, progarchives

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Blue Effect - 1969–1989 (2009) [9CD Box Set] Re-up

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Blue Effect - 1969–1989 (2009) [9CD Box Set] Re-up

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